COLOGNE, Germany, September 27 /PRNewswire/ -- amaxa GmbH and the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC(R)) have entered into an agreement whereby ATCC will supply amaxa with cell lines to develop and optimize protocols using amaxa's Nucleofector(R) technology. This partnership will help researchers save valuable time by allowing them to work immediately with optimized and ready-to-use non-viral transfection protocols on a wide range of cell lines.

"It is our goal to enable our customers to genetically manipulate the cell types they consider the best experimental model. In looking for a partner, we needed a large collection of cell lines that came with reliable authentication. ATCC was the obvious choice," said Rainer Christine, CEO, amaxa. "Our combined efforts will bring the life science community a big step closer to this goal."

"Scientists purchase cell lines from ATCC for a variety of experimental tasks including transfection. By cross-referencing optimized protocols developed by amaxa with detailed information about ATCC cell lines, we are making it easier for researchers to be successful with genuine ATCC cultures and amaxa's innovative Nucleofector technology," said Mike Gove, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, ATCC.

The partnership will be supported by easy access to comprehensive technical information provided on the companies' websites and by technical service specialists.

In cell biology, the expression of transgenic proteins by transfection of DNA or mRNA or the suppression of protein expression by the transfer of siRNA into cells are key methods. Although many different model cell lines are available, their genetic manipulation has often been inefficient by conventional methods. amaxa's Nucleofector technology now allows efficient transfer of nucleic acids, even into primary cells and 'difficult-to-transfect' cell lines, in an easy and reproducible way. It is always recommended to use authenticated cells direct from seed stock as supplied by ATCC to ensure best results.

About amaxa:

A globally active specialist in gene transfection, amaxa's mission is to significantly enhance the speed and quality of pharmaceutical development and basic research in gene transfer and gene-based medicine. To this end, amaxa develops and commercializes non-viral gene transfer products and leverages them for industrial and clinical applications. The Nucleofector(R) technology provides the first efficient non-viral method for gene transfer directly into the nucleus of cell lines and primary cells. This is achieved by novel and unique combinations of electrical parameters and cell typespecific solutions. Founded in 1998, the company is based in Cologne, Germany and in Gaithersburg, MD, USA and currently employs 125 people. amaxa's research team is one of the largest R&D groups worldwide working on non-viral gene transfer.

About ATCC:

Since 1925, ATCC has set the standard for authenticating and distributing biological materials for life science research in the public and private sector. ATCC's mission is to acquire, authenticate, preserve and share its biological resources and knowledge to optimize research quality and productivity.